Gong Xiaoqiao had just stepped out of the bar when a blast of cold wind made her shiver and take a step back, right into Gu Hangshen's arms.
"Ugh, it's so cold..."
When she arrived, everything was fine, but now, there was both wind and rain. Inside, the air conditioning was on, and everyone was dressed for summer, without her even noticing.
Gong Xiaoqiao shivered as her teeth chattered, while Gu Hangshen, wearing only a thin black shirt, didn't even furrow his brow—an abnormal constitution, really.
"Cold?" Gu Hangshen wrapped his arms around her
and got her into the car, then turned on the heater.
"Damn winter is here again." Gong Xiaoqiao complained languidly, the cold weather always made her want to hibernate.
"The dormitory must be locked this late," Gu Hangshen asked nonchalantly while driving.
"Yeah."
"Sleep over at my place?"
"No, I can climb through the window."
"Didn't you say there's a fierce dog tied up?"
"Nonsense, Big Black is the cutest."
"..."
Just as the car was nearing the school gate, Xiaoqiao got a call from Leng Jing.
"Xiaoqiao, have you finished work?"
"Yeah, I'm on my way back."
"Oh, then don't come back. The class supervisor is patrolling the windows tonight, catching people!"
"..."
In the end, Gong Xiaoqiao went back to the apartment anyway.
"Gu Hangshen, I'm hungry, make me a bowl of noodles!"
Gu Hangshen was an excellent cook but rarely offered his culinary services. Probably only the shameless Gong Xiaoqiao could get him to cook for her.
"What's in it for me?"
Gong Xiaoqiao dug out a stack of cards from the drawer, "Same old rules, pick any."
Gu Hangshen scoffed softly, flipping through them, "Massage card, ten minutes. Housework card, one day. Errand card, one time. Singing card, one song. Shield card, one time... From three years old to now, really uncreative."
Gu Hangshen leaned back onto the couch with diminished interest.
For the sake of a late-night snack, Gong Xiaoqiao sidled over obligingly, "How uncreative? Then what do you want? Add it yourself!"
"Really?"
"Yeah! I've always been very democratic, okay?" Gong Xiaoqiao generously handed him a blank card and a pen.
"No need to add anything, just put back what you took away," Gu Hangshen said, propping his head up as he looked at her.
"What I took away?"
"A kiss from Xiaoqiao darling for Brother Shen, a hug from Xiaoqiao darling for Brother Shen, a..."
"Stop, stop, stop!" Gong Xiaoqiao glared at him, flustered and exasperated, "Those... Those were from when we were kids! Of course, we can't be that childish anymore."
Damn! Gu Hangshen's reading made her skin crawl with goosebumps!
"I don't think so." Gu Hangshen watched her flushed face with visible enjoyment.
"Because you're a pervert!"
Gong Xiaoqiao stormed off into the bathroom and slammed the door behind her.
Watching her back, a touch of melancholy flickered in Gu Hangshen's eyes.
When Gong Xiaoqiao came out from the shower, Gu Hangshen, with his sleeves rolled up and wearing the pink apron she had bought from the supermarket last time, was in the kitchen making a midnight snack.
Gong Xiaoqiao's face lit up with happiness. She wrapped herself in a blanket and curled up at the dining table, waiting for Gu Hangshen to feed her.
Gu Hangshen had prepared a large bowl of hand-pulled noodles, really a very large bowl.
"Men who can cook are the most attractive!" Gong Xiaoqiao pulled the large bowl of noodles closer to herself, not forgetting to flatter Gu Hangshen a bit.
"It's all about the comfort of home!"
"Then come back and live here." Gu Hangshen took off his apron and sat down next to her.
"No way." Gong Xiaoqiao happily dug into her meal.
"Why not?"
"No reason." Gong Xiaoqiao knew any excuse would be parried by his twisted logic, so she chose to have no argument rather than a poor one.